Novel application of computer vision to determine bubble size distributions in beer Original Research Article

Certain beers develop a large number of microbubbles during dispense which circulate in the beer as it stands in the glass rather than immediately rising to the surface. This phenomenon is often referred to as bubble haze. Experimentally determined bubble size distributions for these bubble hazes would be of very significant value to the brewing industry in terms of product control and development. However the majority of bubble measurement techniques are not appropriate for the analysis of bubbles in beer created during the dispense process. Therefore a novel application of computer vision for measuring bubble size distributions in beer has been developed. The technique incorporates a computer controlled charge coupled device camera to capture and save bubble images. The technique is also designed to be simple to use and relatively portable. The technique allows for the measurement of both bubble diameter and velocity. Data from the experiments has been analysed to predict rates of bubble nucleation, growth, and motion for a variety of experimental conditions.